Ever An Angel

I don’t get a mountain of blog samples these days, which makes sense because my blogging pace is much less frequent. I also tend to shy away from blogging mesh template stores unless they’re offering something beyond the usual retexturing and recoloring routine. But, when Ever Courtois contacted me, there was something in her Ever An Angel designs that drew me.

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Ever Courtois, a muralist and artist in her meatspace endeavors, doesn’t just recolor and rehash the same mesh templates we see in many other stores. She puts a lot of work into presenting a casual, bohemian style that is rarely done well in Second Life. This Asian-inspired silk drape top and wrap skirt set, called Bethany is an early example of her mesh offerings, but it illustrates the care and talent invested in her texturing. There are few products on the grid that can pull off the look of hand-painted silk, but this set does so beautifully. It employs a sophisticated blend of colors in each variation; I chose to photograph the “Grapevine” which features a lush aubergine base accented by subtle highlights of copper and teal. I also like the little sculpted tie as an added detail. While I am a mesh fan, I’m finding a lot of creativity and variety in pieces that use combinations of system textured, sculpts, and mesh, and I appreciate designers who use the full toolbox to offer something beyond retextured templates.

To accessorize the Bethany set, I choose Truth‘s Ensia hairstyle — a good style choice for a lot of body that keeps hair off your shoulders (avoiding transparency issues). I also went with EarthStones‘ Nataliya jewelry set in the Romance pink/purple combo. It’s a lovely, feminine set that boasts EarthStones customary level of awesomeness. Unfortunately, I think this store is right on the cusp of pricing itself out of my casual jewelry buying range. I have always loved Abraxxa’s work, and I appreciate the level of her talent, but I just don’t find enough value for what I get when I shop her store anymore. It’s a shame, too, because with her immense inventory, she’s one of the few jewelry designers in a position to give real value to customers. I appreciate the hard work that goes into this level of product, but I think rather than inflating prices, it’s better policy to package in a way that gives buyers more for their money. So, I will continue to hope that she gets more creative with her pricing while I ohh and ahh over the few pieces I pick up.

Speaking of pricing issues, the Petal Sandals from Celoe are drool-worthy delightful, but like most shoe designers today they are going to rough up your L$ balance. The HUD is easy to read and pretty straight forward (I was able to match my League Fair skin with the 90611 skin base plus an RGB setting of 251/224/218) but I would have preferred a few more practical nail selections (many of the twenty included colors seemed odd choices that were outside the norm of SL fashion tones) and easier ways to input settings beyond up/down arrows. Still, they get points for allowing us to toggle between RGB and HSL.

For cosmetics, I continued to increase my KOSH inventory. The Starlight eyeshadow set is discolicious and grooves along with their Wet Lips sets.

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Next, I fell hard for the Coffee = Art dress in “Teaberry.” I have mad love for brick reds and pinkish browns, but you don’t see them very often, especially not in feminine clothing styles. Again, here, Ever demonstrates a lot of creativity with multiple mesh templates. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen this style of dress attempted in SL before, but it convincingly emulates a pleated silk crepe dress layered beneath a hand-painted sheer chiffon drape. The photograph can’t convey the delicate sheer of the top layers, so you’ll have to go grab a demo to see what I’m talkin’ about. I lurves it.

It also goes flawlessly with the Celoe Xylia Pumps in “Buccaneer,” so if you’re willing to drop another mint on Celoe shoes, you’re all set. The Xalia Pumps are non-feet mesh which means you’ll get ankle wonkiness (boo) but it also means they play well with stockings (yay). I desperately tried to find stockings or tights in pink/brown or tintable ones I liked, but it was a no-go. Feel free to comment me if you have stockings that would fit the need.

I couldn’t resist putting these together with Truth’s mesh Kara hairstyle. What can I say, it feeds my inner Charlie’s Angel. But be warned, this style will cause a bit of transparency conflict on the bust area of mesh outfits. I went back and forth on cosmetics, and decided to keep it natural (erm…ignore that shot on the left with the make-up left over from the Bethany shots, kay?).

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My final selection from the Ever An Angel mesh line is this sweet long-sleeved babydoll trapeze dress called Baby Buttons. I love the lace trim, the textured buttons down the front and the draping sleeves. The jacquard silk texturing has a subtle floral pattern and a convincing sheen. It’s a real charmer.

I put it together with the Rhoda-esque Lola hairstyle from Wasabi Pills which I a-frakkin-dore. The head scarf has a slight textile texture that can pass for simple cotton or rough silk, and the bands in the braids can also be changed from the included HUD. You can also tint the head scarf and/or bands by setting them to white on the HUD and then rezzing the wig in-world. You must have the “Select Face” radio button enabled in your edit tools for mesh items, so keep that in mind.

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For jewelry I went with the Bijou Jewelry Set in Rook from Sax Shepherd Designs. Since I’m friends and partners with Sax, I really can’t give neutral feedback, but I love this set, although I prefer to to miss-match the button stud earrings instead of wearing the matching pairs. Finally, for shoes I’m continuing my love affair for SLink‘s Vintage Two-Strap Pumps. I have a longer entry planned for this new phase of SL shoe making, but it’s too long to get into here. Your pocketbook will sob, but your toes will squee.

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Creativity is sometimes a messy process and there are a few rough areas in the Ever An Angel offerings that consumers should be aware of; since mesh items feature demos, you can see how much these matter to you prior to purchase (see designer comment below). The biggest concern I had was with the Baby Buttons mesh which poked out in odd angles when bending or stretching in some directions. I’m not sure if this was a concern with the mesh template itself or the adjustments she made to it, but it’s awkward in certain poses. Also, on some of the older selections there is a lack of edge texturing, although the newer pieces I’ve seen all feature hems, stitching, and/or lace trim. And it’s worth noting that not all her styles have a lot of size offerings. Some of the older pieces only feature two mesh sizes (“regular” and “curvy”). But, as complaints go, they’re not big ones, and they’re all things that can be evaluated prior to purchase, and they’re to be expected as part of growing pains toward a new line. From what I can tell of Ever’s store she focused a lot on the old poofy gown genre with some casuals tossed into the mix. This brave new world of mesh seems to be tugging her in what I consider to be a unique direction and I’m happy to see it.

If you’re into these sorts of gypsy / Boho feminine styles, you know how hard it is to find them on our hucci mama meets ball gown drenched grid, so I’m excited to see where this designer goes from here.

18 Comments

Hi Salome, and thanks for a very kind and honest review of my work. I did want to address a couple of items, first being that we do not offer demos. (wince). Now before you go all SALOME on me, I do this for a very specific reason, so that my vested customers DO contact me for one on one help/coaching in the new art of mesh wearing, rather than trying on the demo quick, saying, “meh”, it wont work and tossing it aside. Should they fail to be pleased, a gift card is forthcoming for another purchase and they still get to keep the mesh! So far I have refunded 3 in all this time and one I had to practically threaten to take away her birthday to get her to take the gift card.
2ndly, I am also unhappy with the way Baby Buttons moves in awkward ways and yes, it is an issue with the base mesh rigging, (which I did not create) though i sure wish there WAS something I could do to fix it! Alas, while a great new tool in the toolbox, as you and I have noted before, it is not a perfect tool. just a good one and yeah, I am hot for its act just now. I admit it!

Definately feeling a turning point in my creative endeavors just now, so it’s especially fun to meet up with a blogger that tells it like it is, and ISN’T! My business partner, dear friend and the ONLY “Angel” part of this design mash-up, recently said that last year she thought “Holy Sh**! how do you do that!” But THIS year she says she is thinking “holy F***ING sh**!” how do you do that?! Ah progress. (grin)
One last thing, now don’t you be hate’n on those poofy ballgowns. lol Where else do we get to play THAT!? I keep bugging husband to buy us tickets to one of the Vienna Balls, but until it happens, I will have to content myself with wearing and creating gowns that make me feel all swoopy and spechal. But don’t worry, I put time into those just like the other things I make, so if anyone out there is a swoopy hopeful like me, have a look. And indeed an angel in heaven is no one in particular, so best enjoy getting to be one here while we may. – Ever – blows and buffs on her halo (wink) Thanks again!

Hi Salome! Thank you for pointing out the flaws in the Baby Buttons dress. Not offering a demo is the designer’s choice, but they may only make ONE sale ever, from me, if I had purchased that dress and noticed those same rigging issues. I feel confident enough in my ability to adjust my body for mesh, that I do not want “COACHING” or even a gift card, from a brand that seems to suck at rigging. Why would I want more things I don’t like in my inventory? Just offer demos, please.

LOL @ “Going all SALOME on” you. I suppose I do get my ire on where some issues are concerned. But, as the commenter above shows, there really is another side to your way of thinking.

The true test of good products, from a customer service point of view, is making sure a customer doesn’t have to contact you. Yes, open customer service is good and it’s wonderful that you offer the one-on-one service to help those who seek help. I even understand stressing to new and existing customers that they are free to contact you. But it’s a mistake to build any sort of policy around the idea of coercing customers to contact you. Many of them, myself included, would resent that sort of thing, no matter how well intended.

Mesh demos are the norm in SL and choosing not to offer demos is like people who try to release no-mod hair — you’re going against consumer norm of expectations and you’re going to annoy those of us who have been doing this for a long time and don’t want to be told we need nanny to help us with our clothes before we’re allowed to go play.

I applaud your intentions — there aren’t enough designers who consider ways to help their customers — but in this case I think you don’t realize that you might also be inconveniencing and/or annoying customers who won’t even consider a purchase without a demo and have no interest in contacting someone who isn’t providing what 99.9% of all mesh stores provide.

Ever : Why not make demos? I mean it takes two seconds to write demo on the texture template and ta daaaa – more customers. But to say you want people to contact you for coaching…..You don’t even make your own mesh, so just want sort of “coaching” do you offer?……how to change a shape to suit your mesh – that’s about the only thing I can think of. And I’m pretty sure we’re all clever enough to figure that out ourselves. Stop trying to big note yourself and just say you can’t be bothered making demos. Makes more sense.

Salome : First time reading your blog and it’s nice to see someone point out the good points AND the bad points. I wish more designers would pay more attention to the trims/hems and the inside of mesh.

And no, I wouldn’t contact a designer as described above, because that’s not really feasible to sustain over the long term. What happens if a customer’s schedule doesn’t “mesh” with the designer’s. What happens if the designer becomes a “big hit” and is overwhelmed with customer requests for personal service?

Mesh items should be ike skin, a skin maker would never consider releasing skin without a demo and Mesh should be the same way.

Hi all, and thanks for the input. Will take it into consideration. Not trying to “big note” myself, just really want to be approachable to my customer base, but I am open to re-thinking all sorts of things (grin). Mesh is still pretty new stuff for some out there. Again, we do offer a gift card or refund if we can’t make them happy.

“No demos because you want people to contact you for coaching? Seriously!?!?! You use templates…just how much coaching can you give?”

Seriously, quite a lot. I have helped many fit themselves into mesh or that did not understand which parts of themselves to shove where. as it would seem, many are not that clever, yet. For many people, rearranging the shape can be a very new and frustrating process. For some, moving ANY prim in SL is tantamount to a root canal without novocaine. I offer the same for fitting anything prim as well. And I like to think I offer this help without the presumption that everyone in SL understands things those of us have been here five yrs do. It’s very easy to forget the learning curve this place is when you first arrive and I don’t want to insult anyone’s intelligence…that having been said, perhaps that is what not having demo’s inadvertently does? Eegaads! Bites her nails….yes this may indeed need rethinking!

As for templates vs. no templates, the issues of fitting are the same once the mesh is in-world, no matter who made it, unless you ARE the mesh creator or get the mesh creator themselves to customize an item for you. (good luck and wallet with that, btw, I’ve tried lol) The fact is MOST mesh, is going to wonky in some position, no matter what. The feet/legs poke out funny, you get half-a-leg syndrome the occasional alpha “witches of Eastwick” flashes of..well..nothing, lol….etc. Again, not perfect, just better in some ways, worse in others.

And one more thing on the matter of templates, GOOD GRAVY, I don’t remember this whole GASP ! you’re using templates! thing when sculpt maps came out? To me, it’s a medium. I paint on walls, canvas and even my cats are nervous….I didn’t make those either. I agree, some people will just slap a texture on something and call it done – and yes, yes I know it floods the market with a lot of garbage. We have always had to mire through a sea of muck when shopping in SL, and I really don’t see mesh ushering in some age of enlightenment to SL.

It’s a tool, and I enjoy it. Someday when I have a year, I might even learn to do it myself, (if I ever get done with this backlog of demos I have to make now (winks) but for now I am glad others can, and I bet they are glad I am glad. lol Ca-ching!

But point taken about the demos, maybe we should offer a demo WITH a continue standing offer to help anyone anytime we can. Again, thanks for the input. I’m going back to my crayons now.
Ever
Ever An’ Angel – Re Grand Opening September 8th!

I can only speak for myself but I am not only demo-ing to check if the size fits. I know how to change my shape i don’t need coaching. But for me the demo is also important to see if the item moves right. Or like with the babydoll if there are any yucky fragments moving elsewhere. If something does not move right I won’t buy it. So demos are not only a size thing..

Thats the thing. They don’t want you to get a demo and see what you are really buying. That whole spiel about wanting the customer to feel they are approachable is BS. The customer should not have to come to you if a purchase goes smoothly. You offer a demo let the customer see what they are truly getting and let them decide. Making the customer buy and get locked in with a purchase then “help them” just smells fishy.

Honestly I wouldn’t want anyone new to mesh to come near this store for “help”.
1)They don’t follow standard practice of offering a demo which is one of the most important things when it comes to buying MESH.
2)They use low quality templates which are not a good example of the quality mesh items out there
3)They don’t use templates that utilize the standard sizing or alternative sizing to give new mesh users an idea that there are several sizes for them it chose from.

This store is not an example we want to set in the fashion community as for what is available for mesh. At the very least Ever An’ Angel is the seedy underbelly of the mesh fashion market and we need to steer newbs and anyone away from them.

Lourdes, people who post like you are the main reason it’s exhausting to be part of the SL fashion community these days. You are all accusation and no logic. The next time you want to waltz in all mouth and no brain, do us both a favor and go have a tea party with your attitude somewhere other than my blog.

First of all, I don’t bother with and/or post things from the seedy underbelly of anything. You’re not only insulting the designer, you’re insulting me. Which is fine, I allow people to insult me up to a point, but you’re also talking complete shit, which I do get annoyed at.

I confess, it never occurred to me that this store (or any store) wouldn’t offer mesh demos. I’ve never heard of any other mesh designer not offering demos. So, yes, I think she’s making a mistake, but it’s her mistake to make. To assign sinister motives to that is stupid. Ever has a huge store full of inventory she’s obviously been putting out for years. There’s no logical benefit to intentionally fooling customers. That’s a quick-in / quick-out. She’s clearly put a great deal of work into building a client base. Although I object to her practices, there’s nothing to indicate her reasoning is insincere. She’s also repeated several times that in the rare occurrence where she’s unable to resolve a customer’s concerns that she provides a refund. If you buy something without trying on a demo, you’re aware that you’re rolling the dice. If you have to ask for a refund, that’s the chance you took when you purchased. So the mock outrage is out of proportion with the situation.

Second, the texturing on these pieces is unique and refreshing. It’s what caught my eye in the first place. You can point out problems with the mesh (which I did in my review) but everything in SL has some degree of give and take. The styles and texturing in these pieces reflects a genre many of us like and don’t get to see often enough. I’m willing to compromise certain things to play dress up in something different. You may be happy buying the same ten mesh templates over and over from all the same designers. I’m not. I prefer to see someone doing something unique with their templates. At least until ColdLogic and the rest of the over-blogged gang have a chance to recolor the same shapes they’ve been retexturing for months.

I give fuck all for setting examples for the fashion community, especially if they’re going to behave as you’ve done here. All I want to do is find pretty things to play dress up. I also want to provide consumers with some insight prior to purchase. But when it comes to setting examples for the fashion community the people who get to lecture me are exactly zero. I’ve been blogging about SL consumer issues and fashion since before most of the current flock of brats were on the grid. I don’t need anyone to agree with my style choices, but if you want to go rounds about watching out for consumers, you and I aren’t even playing in the same league. Skill up, put in a couple more years, and then we’ll chat.

Lastly, there is nothing wrong or sinister with going against standard sizing or in using templates. A lot of people are against the standard sizing movement for valid reasons (I’m not one of them, but I respect those people who find it creepy). As for the quality of the templates, that’s for each consumer to decide for themselves. I wore the Bethany outfit to the ColdLogic sale yesterday and was asked by several people where I got it. I didn’t have any issues with it, other than it made me look a little more hippy than usual.

Many people here have expressed displeasure at the idea of not providing demos, myself included. That point is valid. The rest of your post is incendiary nonsense. Go voice that on your own blog if you want to fan it.

You don’t get to call someone a liar just because you disagree with them. You should have learned that in preschool; it would have saved us the hassle of educating you.

Salmon there was no intent to insult you in any way shape or form. If you are insulted I apologize it was not my intent. I don’t blame any blogger who blogs their items. I have no problem with you. I do have a problem with unsuspecting customers falling into their little trap.

I won’t debate the quality of their texturing because that is purely subjective. I did not address the quality of their textures. I did address the quality of the mesh templates they use. Which you have shown in your blog post to be less than idea for a few of their items.

Second, you are correct, to most people it is logical to offer a demo for mesh. I agree it is her mistake to make. However this is not the first time the demo issue has come up for Ever An Angel. Her and I have discussed this before, in the spring if I recall. She was considering it then as she is considering it now. She seems to have wrong impression that stores like Mon Tissu and Maitreya offer bad customer service and aren’t willing to work with customers if there is an issue.

Third, I’m not the biggest fan of standard sizing and I have been very vocal about it. But this is not about the evils of standard sizing it is about letting the new customer know that there are sizing models out there available at reputable stores that sell mesh. There are more sizes then regular and curvy. If we are going to bring new people into using mesh. I feel that we should show a good example of what is available for mesh clothing.

Fourth, I never said there was anything sinister with not using standard sizing or an alternative sizing model.The practice that makes it all questionable begins and ends with the fact that this store refuses to offer demos. So that customers can clearly see what they are buying, One or 2 sizes and a template with dodgy rigging. I am sure when I spoke to her in the spring time it wasn’t the first time the issue of demos came up. Hell at that time all her mesh items came in ONE size with no alpha. Here we are again almost autumn and the issue with demos comes up again. I doubt you are the 2nd person to bring this to her attention. All this time and she is still singing the same tired song and still no demos. I admit I’m a pessimist having been part of the fashion community for quite some time, but I don’t usually see malice where there is none. Something smells fishy to me. We don’t have to agree but I won’t insult your intelligence because I don’t agree or see it from your perspective..

As for discussing this on my own blog. I did consider doing a story on my experience with Ever An Angel on Shopping Cart Disco. I guess they just fell off my radar, because I forgot all about them until I read your post. For me the fashion community is more than just me buying pretties and dressing up and taking pics. I do care that customers have a good experience when trying mesh for the first time. One store that has questionable practices makes a customer new to mesh wary to try another store. This blog post is an awesome example of the very best of mesh and the not so good part of mesh.

Lastly Salome, I respect you as blogger and person. I read your blog because I value your opinion even if I don’t always agree. You and I have both been doing this awhile and we appear to have a different perspective on things. However this is a debate purely on a business practice where I find the motives to be questionable. Thanks for the tongue lashing I enjoyed reading it honestly, no sarcasm. Again I apologize, I see where the words seedy underbelly may have struck a negative cord. It was perhaps not the best choice of words.

I think that the shady aspect of this transaction with said store is in the blind purchase. Making a demo is very easy so it doesn’t make sense to sell an item and say you’ll provide all this over the top customer service when the truth is you could offer the same service with demos on hand. I really don’t see the logic behind it except that they have your money and then you have to go through hoops to get it back.

Not all customers have any desire to wait to speak to a rep regarding their purchase. She can’t be on 24/7 ready to help/issue a gift card/or issue a refund. It’s one thing if you bought the item and had issues with it after you were given the opportunity to try a demo. It’s quite another to have no choice but to contact the store owner because what appeared to be a good purchase is not. Sadly, unless her modus operandi changes, she is going to lose plenty of sales.

Lastly, I don’t think Lourdes’ comments were incendiary at all. An experienced shopper will probably not make the purchase without a demo, however an inexperienced shopper may make the purchase and then be subject to having their funds hijacked while they wait to be walked through a ‘solution’. Lourdes was not badmouthing your blog, just stating facts about the product and it’s store policy. I don’t know why you think this is a personal attack on you or why you have such a negative stance towards the fashion community but your response above is flawed and mistaken. Perhaps you should reread it before you fly off the handle and insult someone who offered facts and never insulted you or the store owner/designer. No one was called a liar.

It’s truly sad to see someone run a blog and not be able to read a response, comprehend what is being said, and respond to criticism without resorting to insults and childish behavior. Thanks for showing us who you really are.

Ah. you write for SCD. No wonder you don’t see anything wrong with calling someone a liar based on your own opinion.

Seriously, Lourdes, if you have previous history / experience with Ever that’s your issue. You still haven’t presented anything to me that warrants phrases like “customers falling into their trap” and/or calling Ever’s position “BS.” And I really don’t understand why you’re viewing this as a defense of people new to mesh. Are you thinking that people are going to skip passed the ten gazillion blog posts of Maitreya, ColdLogic, Mon Tissu, Celoe, etc and hone in on Ever An Angel? Seriously? And, really, if someone tries one store and one mesh item and gives up on mesh entirely, who the hell cares? They’re obviously the low end of the gene pool. The banner you’re carrying on that pretense makes no sense to me.

There are a lot of big name stores in Second Life that have crappy consumer practices with everything from ridiculous price inflation to deceptive displays. There are still a few hair stores out there trying to sell no-mod hair ffs. But there is also consumer responsibility. If you don’t want to buy something that doesn’t have a demo, no one holds a gun to your head and forces you to buy it. Just like no one holds a gun to my head when I overpay ridiculous prices for shoes and jewelry. Ever’s practices might be antiquated and off the norm, but that doesn’t make them seedy. And, frankly, just because a blogger, or two, or ten takes her to task doesn’t mean she has to change anything. It’s her store. Had I know she didn’t offer demos, I’d have mentioned it in my blog. I never even considered it a possibility, but *she* is the one who pointed it out in blog comments. I don’t get the impression she’s trying to hide anything. And she also didn’t turn into a three year old and run to Plurk to cry to her friends when I pointed out a flaw with one of her products.

The responsibility is to educate the consumer. Not to protect them from their own choices, and certainly not to call designers dishonest for running their own stores their own way.

I’ve brought a lot of negatives to light for a lot of big name designers over the years. Few take it so well. Some of them go mental and ban you, even if they actually fix the crap you pointed out in your post. Ever listened courteously to the complaints and said she’d consider it. If she still doesn’t put out demos she hasn’t done anything deceptive or wrong. It’s her store. So long as consumers know that going in, there’s nothing wrong with it.

I’ve never had a customer service issue with Mon Tissu. I had one with Maitreya and it was taken care of right away. But I know lots of people who’ve had negative customer service experiences with big name designers and I know a lot of smaller designers who take their customer service personally. I frankly would do anything not to have to deal with a customer so I don’t understand, but I know it’s not uncommon.

I have no problem with you taking objection — even strong objection to her practices. I do object to you calling someone a liar on my blog when there’s no indication of it.

So, returning to preschool lessons: you do not have to use the word “liar” to call someone a liar. Saying that someone’s statements are BS is calling them a liar. And there is nothing neutral or factual in the statement: “At the very least Ever An’ Angel is the seedy underbelly of the mesh fashion market.” That’s an opinion and it’s an incendiary statement which even Lourdes realized was out of line. Feel free to look up the big words if they confuse you.

Further, implying that I would blog something that fit that description is a personal insult, whether you choose to see it that way or not. She backed off it, so that’s that. I didn’t edit anyone’s post. Readers are free to make their own choices.

Now that you’ve seen who I “really am,” please feel free to not return. I’m sure Lordes has big girl pants. She doesn’t need empty armor.

“At the very least Ever An’ Angel is the seedy underbelly of the mesh fashion market ” Oh for the love of God and all that it is holy. I am laughing so hard right now, my eyes are watering. I may have to subtext my new logo with that one. lol

So anyway, did anyone actually read that the advice was taken and that I would likely begin to offer demos now? Was this to subtle” : “Someday when I have a year, I might even learn to do it myself, (if I ever get done with this backlog of demos I have to make now (winks)”

I guess I will have to find another way to dupe my customers. Maybe I can begin grossly over photo-shopping all my pics, then when they try the items on they will look NOTHING like what hey have paid for! BWAHAHAHAHA

Sorry for the sarcasm. Srsly, Salome, where DO you find these people?(grin) Thanks again, to you and others for defending my stance even if you don’t agree with it. Gosh, it even changed my mind so that I will make demos now. Imagine that. Adults listening to other adults and effecting change. I spend most of my time head down in my creating and try to stay away this sort of frey, and I will likely continue to do so, but I am very glad Salome represented my work both well and critically and I appreciate the input of everyone else who replied with honesty and due courtesy as well.
Cheers,
Ever – Again YES, there will be demos! Are we clear on that one? Good.

Thank you Salome for writing a refreshing blog post about templates and mesh. It seems to me there is a split in the SL fashion community where some bloggers aren’t aware of it and some consumers don’t want to buy anything that is templates. So it is refusing to see someone acknowledge that they are templates but not bag on them. I think some consumers understandably got a little tired of seeing the same sculpties used again and again, often with lower pricing/freebies. I think it burned people out. I like that consumers are more aware of templates and kits, I think it provides value to those that do everything, but there is awareness and there is being a jerk about it. And I think consumers need to realize that many of the big players in the mesh fashion industry are teams of people. 3d modeling requires a lot of learning. It’s not impossible, there is just a lot it encompasses is and I do like that templates let the smaller players still play.

*joins the crowd of people who think no demo for mesh items means the owner is hiding something* Not that you are Ms Courtois. Ive just come to think that whenever i see something that says Mesh and it has no demo. I’ve been burned on this once or twice.

Thanks as always Salome for your unbiased and honest reviews. I love being able to go shop and be an informed consumer. I don’t get the hate and backlash over using mesh templates. Like Ever said…they are a canvas, a medium to work with. sure there are some who do craptastic jobs with them, but there are others who are striving to elevate the medium. Mesh is not cheap or easy to learn and templates allow people to have fun and play. As you said above…we have always had to wade thru mediocre crap, but bashing people for using templates is silly. If an item is well made, well textured and i like it….I dont give a crap if its a template.
This whole snob elitist mentality regarding SL mesh fashions is jsut a bit much…I buy what I like, template or not and I’ll take a quality template at an affordable price over a so called TOP designer who charges exhorbitant prices for their items. Goes back to being the quiet observer.